Mass activism combined with a number of successful public awareness campaigns regarding the TSA and its naked body scanners have finally paid off, forcing the agency to remove all of its naked body scanners after its software partner OSI Systems Inc. couldn’t find a less invasive form of naked body scanner software that didn’t save such a detailed image of the naked body. A change that Congress required under a near deadline, reports Bloomberg.

In other words, the famous body scanners that are known to actually save images of your naked body (many of which leaked on to the net) are actually so majorly intrusive that even the software company itself is saying that despite modifications the scanner system will still capture a naked body in detail. Amazingly, they could not even re-code their software sufficiently enough to even reduce the obscene nature of the scanners. The conclusion ended the $5 million contract between OSI and the TSA.

All 174 Rapiscan machines, which remain after an initial reduction of 76 scanners last year, will now be removed. The TSA will also be absorbing the costs. The agency will also still be using other ‘less invasive’ scanners throughout some airports that should be crusaded against as well. It is unfortunate that the TSA will attempt to pull a fast one here, but with any luck the momentum from the naked body scanners will carry over.

Scanners Banished Due to Activism and Spreading the Word

It is thanks to individuals like you spreading the word and a number of great alternative news outlets that this announcement has been made, as the TSA’s scanners have been targeted by mass activism on such a grand scale that their PR rescue mission simply could not perform adequate damage control required to squelch the voice of reason. Through mass campaigns of opting out, awareness over the serious health concerns surrounding the TSA’s naked body scanners, and grassroots activism, this great feat has been accomplished.

I have personally been speaking out against the TSA body scanners for years, and we have been covering the concerning facts behind the scanners every step of the way. From the 1998 report that found naked body scanners were causing an unknown but considerable amount of cancers each year, to the disturbing cases in which pedophile TSA agents have been caught with porn on their work computers. And of course it’s also important to remember the amateur engineer who managed to get by the scanners with metal objects.

Overall, the scanners have proven to be not only ineffective but downright dangerous. Outside of the serious health effects which include cancer and a host of other conditions, they are actually not even able to pick up potential ‘weapons’ as proficiently as a simple metal detector. Opting out of the machines, which can be done legally by merely telling the TSA ‘agent’ (who is really supposed to be a public ‘servant’), also sparks an absurd amount of concern and paranoia from the TSA staff.

I have personally waited over 30 minutes to be patted down after opting out of the radiation scanners and was watched closely by nearby staff as if I was a criminal arrested on multiple charges — all for opting out of a cancer-causing machine that even top radiation experts decades ago admitted was churning out yearly cancer cases.

Activism Works

The bottom line here is that activism works, and spreading awareness through sharing essential information far and wide really can result in major changes. Sounding the alarm across the nation has led to an intensely watchful group of informed citizens that hound the TSA on every possible occasion into submission, leading to the Congressional decision that has now led to the removal of 174 naked body scanners. It’s essential that we understand the power of truth and continue to spread the word about issues like this one. After all, it may make the largest difference at an entirely unexpected time.

Anthony is an accomplished investigative journalist whose articles have appeared on top news sites and have been read by millions worldwide. A health activist and researcher, Anthony’s goal is informing the public as to how they can use natural methods to revolutionize their health, as well as exploring the behind the scenes activity of the pharmaceutical industry and the FDA.

What a bunch of bullshit.
This technology allowed persons with surgical implants to circumvent the inconveniences of previous inadequate scanning processes.
All this shit about naked images and personal privacy is totally stupid. Does anyone think someone is actually vouring these images?
Serious health concerns? There is no data to support this fantasy.
What a bunch of bullshit.

Boy, I'm sure going to miss those opt-out pat downs.....not! But what about the other machine that blows air at you? Haven't heard about them much lately except when they were first introduced in some places as an experiment. Can't believe Chertoff and his buddies are letting the money involved in selling them disappear.

Astonishing! The government actually found a "security measure" it didn't like!

Now would be a good time to take a close look at a number of other "anti terrorism measures" which have done nothing about terrorists but violated the rights of American citizens far more than any determined terrorist group ever could.

Anyone with two semesters of physics can see that this is an entirely misleading report. The majority of scanners used by the TSA have been of the millimeter wave type for some time. Millimeter waves are entirely different than x-rays and are entirely safe. They are closely related to the type of radiation used by your cell phone. The key health concern for electromagnetic radiation is whether it is capable of knocking electrons from tissue molecules. Radiation that can do that is referred to as "ionizing radiation". X-rays and UV rays are ionizing, but millimeter waves are not. They are, in fact far less energetic than visible light waves and consequently completely harmless.
Here is a much more accurate report from ABC News.
abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/tsa-remove-controversial-ray-scanners-18253192. Here is a portion of it.
"On Thursday Rapiscan, the maker of the X-ray, or backscatter, scanner, acknowledged that it wouldn't be able to meet the June deadline. The TSA said Friday that it ended its contract for the software with Rapiscan.

The agency's statement also said the remaining scanners will move travelers through more quickly, meaning faster lanes at the airport. Those scanners, made by L-3 Communications, used millimeter waves to make an image. The company was able to come up with software that no longer produced a naked image of a traveler's body.

The TSA will remove all 174 backscatter scanners from the 30 airports they're used in now. Another 76 are in storage. It has 669 of the millimeter wave machines it is keeping, plus options for 60 more, TSA spokesman David Castelveter said.

Not all of the machines will be replaced. Castelveter said that some airports that now have backscatter scanners will go back to having metal detectors. That's what most airports used before scanners were introduced.

The Rapiscan scanners have been on their way out for months, in slow motion.

The government hadn't bought any since 2011. It quietly removed them from seven major airports in October, including New York's LaGuardia and Kennedy airports, Chicago's O'Hare, and Los Angeles International. The TSA moved a handful of the X-ray scanners to very small airports. At the time, the agency said the switch was being made because millimeter-wave scanners moved passengers through faster."

There must be some radiation material that is in the x-ray scanners. Hope they take the trouble to dispose of these part responsibly. Chertoff sounds a little like rip off. The scanners never had any testing or discussion prior to putting them in place. Chertoff profited mightily from those sales. Americans, good for those who protested and signed petitions against these Darthvaderan machines. Numbers count, each and every one adds up to many. Don't underestimate the value of the few minutes you take to sign an on-line petition, send a copy to congress and the President's email box.

There is no need for "radiation material" to be in any X-Ray machine (except for the most (unusably) simple designs of such). None of the X-Ray Backscatter machines has such material in it. They produce their X-Rays by electronic means.

"The backscatter machines will probably get used by other branches of the government." Does that mean they will be using them to search accused criminals? Lovely. From my experience with TSA, it is clear "innocent until proven guilty" died about the time of 9/11. Now we must all be prepared to prove we are innocent - look at what happens to peaceful protestors like the Occupy movement.

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